Inside the Loud House
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Michael Carter-Williams has chance to bring title back to Syracuse

By Paul A. Esden Jr.

SYRACUSE, NY - JANUARY 21: Michael Carter-Williams #1 of the Syracuse Orange celebrates after a play during the game against the Cincinnati Bearcats at the Carrier Dome on January 21, 2013 in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Nate Shron/Getty Images)
SYRACUSE, NY - JANUARY 21: Michael Carter-Williams #1 of the Syracuse Orange celebrates after a play during the game against the Cincinnati Bearcats at the Carrier Dome on January 21, 2013 in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Nate Shron/Getty Images) /
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Former Syracuse basketball star Michael Carter-Williams has a real opportunity to bring a championship back to the salt city next season.

It’s been a while since we’ve seen Michael Carter-Williams don that beautiful Syracuse basketball orange. But he could soon be bringing back a championship to the salt city. Let us explain.

To move forward, we must look at the past to see how we got here. MCW spent two years on the hill at Syracuse. He was rarely used as a freshman, only contributing spot duty (10 minutes a game).

Instead of a sophomore slump, we saw an evolution. The lanky Carter-Williams out of Hamilton, Massachusetts went from two points per game to 12. But that wasn’t the only part of his game that developed, his huge frame resulted in him getting nearly three steals a game as the center piece of the 2-3 zone at the top.

That all resulted in MCW being a top-11 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft (a key cog in that historic NBA Draft streak).

His career started off with a bang. He won Rookie of the Year honors with the Philadelphia 76ers and became only the third player in NBA history to average 16 points, six rebounds, and six assists in a rookie season joining Oscar Robertson (Mr. Triple Double) and Magic Johnson (a living legend). Pretty elite company.

Although after that season, everything started to go down hill. Maybe that was injuries, following his terrific rookie season he had shoulder surgery. MCW was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. Then he was later traded to the Chicago Bulls. Then as a free agent he signed with the Charlotte Hornets.

After sitting in NBA free agency for a few days this offseason, he found a home with the Houston Rockets, per Adrian Wojnarowski.

With this Woj bomb official, it started to sink in that this was perhaps the best new landing spot for a former SU star this offseason. The Houston Rockets just won a franchise record 65 wins, made it to within one game of the NBA Finals, and James Harden came away with the MVP award.

So where does MCW fit in?

Well with Chris Paul and Harden, you have two of the best guards in the entire league. If executed properly, whoever the Rockets are playing will have to face a top-thee to five point guard for the entire 48 minutes.

Now with Carter-Williams there, he can add to an already deep roster. When he was at his best, he was patient and took good shots and set up his teammates for success. He doesn’t have to be the MCW triple double king, as I say all the time, just a cog in the wheel.

Next: Syracuse Basketball: Top 30 Players in School History

Nothing is guaranteed, especially with MCW signing a veteran minimum deal. The Rockets have seven guards on the team, but most are bottom feeders. If Carter-Williams does all the little things he could be the lead guard off the bench running the point. Plus bringing some NBA championship glory back to Syracuse wouldn’t be half bad either. Only one player (believe it or not) has won a NBA title in Syracuse history and that was Marty Byrnes back in 1980 with the Los Angeles Lakers, MCW can become the second.

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